


not the villain

by moriimae



Category: A Heist With Markiplier (Web Series), Who Killed Markiplier? (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I dont know how to tag, M/M, Manipulation, Other, actors an asshole per usual, also per usual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:55:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24818710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moriimae/pseuds/moriimae
Summary: in which you realise dark isn't who—or what—the actor says he is.
Relationships: Darkiplier/Reader, Mark Fischbach & Reader, actor!mark & reader
Comments: 11
Kudos: 44





	1. the beginning

**Author's Note:**

> a multi-part fic crossposted to my tumblr; i'm shit at figuring out how posting on ao3 works so feel free to find it under the same handle as here

> _**Mark really tried his damndest to keep Dark away from you.** _
> 
> **_He couldn’t have you escaping his web, now could he?_ **
> 
> **_But you had to go and ruin his plans._ **
> 
> **_What a shame._ **

― ― ―

Four years prior, you had met Mark at VidCon; you worked as an assistant for the creators if they were to run into any troubles. Mark’s audio equipment was malfunctioning before his panel, so you had been sent to help solve the problem. It took a couple hours—somehow, someone had damaged the equipment when setting it up—and by the time the problem was resolved, you and Mark had managed to strike up a friendship.

After several months of knowing each other, Mark offered to hire you as an editor for his videos. You gratefully took him up on the offer; VidCon was far too stressful for you, and the in-between jobs didn’t provide much income. Two years into working with him, you lost your apartment after the building went up in flames. 

~~_He was the one who did it._ ~~

Mark talked you into staying in his spare room when you told him what happened. _‘What are friends for?’_ You remember staring at him, dumbfounded, before reluctantly agreeing with him. _It wouldn’t hurt, right?_

~~_After all, what are friends for?_ ~~

Over the course of three years, Mark never acknowledged Dark’s existence outright, despite your poking and prodding. You first began your inquiries when Dark began showing up in the corners of your dreamscapes—while he never interacted with you, you still wanted answers.

~~_Mark was the one to create Dark in the first place. You suppose ignoring him was all part of his plan. Whatever that may be._ ~~

Your curiosity must’ve irritated him enough, though. The YouTuber eventually, albeit not without a significant amount of complaints and protests, caved to your persistent questioning. After Mark threw a tantrum fit for a toddler, you learned that Dark was, indeed, real—and that he and Mark did not share a body; simply an appearance.

Mark promised that he wouldn’t allow Dark near you— _he_ was the villain, according to the former. _He_ was manipulative. _He_ was evil. _‘I’ll keep you safe,’_ you recall the way he uttered those words. Something wasn’t quite right, but you brushed it off.

~~_You really wish you hadn’t._ ~~

You didn’t know better. You listened to him. You _trusted_ him. 

~~_Oh, how you wish you had known that everything was just an act._ ~~

― ― ―

One year ago, you were alone at the house, curled up on the sofa while the TV droned in the background. Fatigue weighed at the edges of your mind despite it only being mid-afternoon. You don’t remember falling asleep, but you _do_ remember what followed.

A sharp ringing in your ears and a void darker than black all around you. Your veins feeling as if ice were flowing through them rather than blood. Dark appearing before you with raised eyebrows.

_Well, this is just great._

“This is no place for you. Tell me, why are you here?” He asked. You remember wincing—his voice seemed to amplify the ringing.

“I didn’t come here on _purpose_ ,” you responded, confused, “so _you_ tell _me;_ why _am_ I here? Usually, _you_ like to lurk in _my_ dreams.”

“If you’re implying that I summoned you, I would not do such a foolish thing. The _snake_ you reside with would find out, and you would likely suffer his rage.” Dark’s voice was cold, detached; though you thought you could hear the faintest hint of concern.

“Snake? Do you mean _Mark_ ?” You shook your head. “Mark isn’t—” you paused, taking a moment to gather your thoughts, “—he might have a temper, but he would never _hurt_ me _seriously_ . Though he did say _you_ would hurt me.” As soon as you finished speaking, the ringing in your ears grew in volume and pitch.

“ **_I_ ** am not the one you should fear!” the entity shouted, “you are being **_lied_ ** to! You mean **_nothing_ ** to him—you are but a **_pawn_ **in his play!” Dark took in a breath and composed himself.

_“But perhaps I should allow you to figure that out yourself, hm?”_

You woke with a gasp, scrambling up from the sofa. The sun was beginning to set outside. The remnants of the Void’s chill clung to your skin.

_How much more vague could he be?_

_― ― ―_

_[ Received: 5:09pm ] Mark: Did you cook or do you want me to grab some food omw home_

_[ Received: 5:09pm ] Mark: my meeting ended a few minutes ago so I’ll be leaving soon_

_[ Sent: 5:11pm ] i’ve put dinner on already, dont bother with takeout_

_[ Sent: 5:12pm ] see u soon_

You locked your phone screen, pinching the bridge of your nose in frustration. “He’s gonna find out. I am _so_ fucked.” You grumbled to yourself.

You made the mistake of reaching out to Dark. While _you_ wouldn’t call it a mistake, Mark is bound to find out. 

And when he does, you are _so_ fucked.


	2. liar, liar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mark finds out that you talked to dark. cue him being a manipulative asshole!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the first portion of this has a lot of dialogue and is plot-heavy in order to progress the story, so bear with me please! there’s very little dark in this chapter im sorry― 
> 
> also, it’s implied that the actor has the ability to alter a person’s thoughts and feelings. he’s a dick and uses that to his advantage, so just a heads up on that!

> _You locked your phone screen, pinching the bridge of your nose in frustration. “He’s gonna find out. I am so fucked.” You grumbled to yourself._
> 
> _You made the mistake of reaching out to Dark. While you wouldn’t call it a mistake, Mark is bound to find out._
> 
> _And when he does, you are so fucked._

— — —

You felt sick from anxiety. 

Mark had you promise that you wouldn’t reach out to Dark; he made it blatantly clear that Dark was a bad guy. He was so adamant about it—so why didn’t you believe him? _You just **had** to talk to Dark, huh, Y/N? Mark’s gonna be **pissed**. You really messed up this time. _

~~_He’s not the bad guy. **Mark** is. Why did you trust him? **He’s** using you. You should’ve listened to Dark._ ~~

You swore at yourself under your breath before going back to cooking; you’d chosen to make bulgogi for dinner. It was one of your favourite foods, as well as Mark’s. Maybe that will lessen his anger. 

_Probably not._

About an hour later, you heard the front door open and shut. You finished dishing the food onto plates as Mark walked into the kitchen.

“Hey, Y/N,” Mark gave you a smile as he eyed the food. “Bulgogi for dinner, huh?”

“Yeah, I hope that’s alright.” You smiled back, handing Mark his plate. “I thought I’d make something other than spaghetti for once.” You joked.

“Well, it smells great, so that’s a good sign,” Mark responded, his voice mimicking your joking tone, “shall we eat?”

“We shall.” You smiled again as you both sat at the table and began eating. Silence settled over the two of you—it slowly grew heavier as you ate.

~~_Here we go._ ~~

“Is there something I need to know, Y/N?” Mark broke the silence, locking eyes with you as he tilted his head.

“Why do you ask?” You averted his gaze, choosing to look at your plate as you pushed your food around.

“I’m not sure if I mentioned before, but when Dark… manifests, he tends to leave a—” Mark paused, tapping his chin as if in thought, “—a lingering _sense_ , to put it simply. So, would you like to explain why it feels like _he_ was here?”

_Well, **shit**._

“I, uh—I was curious,” you admit softly, guilt and anxiety crashing over you like a tsunami. “About him. I was curious about him.” You kept your eyes fixed on your plate.

~~_You’re a bad liar._ ~~

Mark stood abruptly, slamming his hands onto the table. You startle, lifting your gaze out of shock ~~and fear~~.

“You _promised_ you wouldn’t take to him! Did I not make it clear that he’s **_evil_ _?_** A _**villain?”**_ He snapped. You shrank back at the anger radiating off of him.

“I’m sorry—I didn’t think that it was a bad idea—” you stumble over your words in a pathetic attempt to convince him you meant no harm.

~~_You should’ve kept your mouth shut._ ~~

**_“I told you it was a bad idea!”_** Mark spat, his tone practically dripping with venom and rage. “Is that not enough? Do you not trust me?” He softened his voice. “I’m trying to keep you safe.”

~~_He’s lying to you._ ~~

“No, I do trust you!” You said frantically, shaking your head, “I’m sorry, Mark. It won’t happen again, I _swear_.”

“I know,” Mark sighed, approaching you and cupping your cheek. He swept his thumb over your cheekbone. “I’m sorry I yelled.” He smiled at you—you were too distracted by the warmth of his hand to notice that his smile didn’t reach his eyes. _Why were you scared? Mark wouldn’t hurt you._

~~_He’s lying to you. Don’t fall for it. He’s manipulating you. Stop listening to him!_ ~~

“It’s okay,” you murmured, eyes fluttering shut. “‘m sorry I broke my promise.” _He wouldn’t lie to you, right?_

A small part of your brain screamed at you, trying to tell you that something wasn’t right—that something was very _wrong_.

You paid it no mind.

~~_What a fool you were._ ~~

― ― ―

_**[ POV switch: The Actor ]** _

After dinner, Mark coaxed you into watching a movie before bed. He watched as you fell asleep halfway through the movie, curled against his side.

 _ **Oh, Y/N. It’s such a shame that you didn’t listen. I really didn’t want to alter your thoughts.**_ He brushed a stray lock of hair away from your forehead. 

_**But I can’t have you going and ruining my plans. That’s no fun at all.** _

Mark frowned slightly as you shifted closer to him. 

_**I’ll need to deal with Dark. I don’t need him interfering.** _

After a few minutes of watching you, Mark figured it was time to get up. “Y/N, c’mon. It’s time for bed,” he nudged you awake. You tilted your head up to look at him blearily.

“’kay,” you yawned, “’m sorry for falling asleep.”

“That’s alright. C’mon, let’s get you to bed.” Mark scooped you up and carried you to his room. He wanted to keep an eye on you for the evening. “You can sleep in here tonight.”

You let out a small noise of acknowledgement, already falling back asleep. Mark pulled the covers over the two of you after climbing into bed. For now, he’d sleep. 

He’ll take care of Dark tomorrow.

― ― ―

_[ POV switch: Y/N ]_

You were dreaming.

~~_Can he see your dreams? Will he know you’re **lying**?_ ~~

You weren’t in the Void this time―actually, you weren’t anywhere you recognised. “Hello?” Your voice echoed around you. A few moments passed before anything happened.

Then a sharp ringing pierced your ears. _Great. Him again._

“Hello again, Y/N. You didn’t heed my warnings of **him** and the danger **he** brings.” Dark appeared in front of you, hands folded behind his back. “Indulge me, if you will; did **he** poison your mind?”

“What on earth are you going on about?” You looked at him, confused. “Are you talking about Mark again? He’s not _dangerous_ ― _you_ are.”

The ringing in your ears suddenly grew louder. “Do you not understand that **he** is _**lying** _to you! **He’s** _manipulating_ _you!_ **Why can you not see this?”** Dark shouted. A ghost of him split away from his body, screaming while holding its head.

“No, I _don’t_ understand, Dark! _Why_ would he do that? As far as I can tell, he hasn’t manipulated me! He hasn’t lied to me!” The words felt wrong as they left your mouth. A strong sensation hit you―it felt almost like vertigo. 

“I don’t understand,” you whispered, “I’m―I’m _scared_ , Dark. What’s happening?”

~~_You were so afraid._ ~~

Dark took a step forward, now only mere inches from you. A look akin to sympathy crossed his face. 

“You need to remember, Y/N. **He** is not your friend. It is all an _act_ ,” His hand ghosted over your cheek, “you can’t trust **him**.” Dark withdrew his hand, backing away from you. “I must go now.”

“Wait―please, _I don’t understand!”_

~~_**You were so, so afraid.** _ ~~

― ― ―

“Y/N, wake up!” 

You jolted awake, scrambling away from Mark. “What―?” You glanced at the clock and then back at the man beside you. “Dude, it’s 2am! What the hell did you wake me up for?”

“You were crying, I guess having a nightmare―something along the lines of not understanding?” Mark frowned at you, placing a hand on your shoulder. “Are you alright?” He looked concerned.

You didn’t buy it.

“I’m fine, Mark.” You brushed his hand off and laid back down, turning away from him. “I’m gonna go back to sleep. G’night.”

By the time you woke back up, Mark was already up and had left for whatever meeting he had that day. _At least I don’t have to deal with him until tonight._

You got up and and got dressed, taking a deep breath.i

You needed to have a conversation with Dark. _And_ you needed to keep Mark from finding out.

~~_Don’t let him know. He’s **not your friend.**_ ~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when i finished this i realised the pacing is a little off, but i’m content with how it’s turned out, so it’s staying


	3. forgotten memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which dark tells you everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wrote half of this at 1am if there's any mistakes blame my sleep deprived brain

“You need to **_remember_** , Y/N. **He** is not your friend. It is all an **_act_** ,” His hand ghosted over your cheek, “you _can’t_ trust **him**.” Dark withdrew his hand, backing away from you. “I must go now.”

“Wait―please, _I don’t understand!”_

* * *

> _**"It’s not all about me; it’s about you!”  
> ** _
> 
> _**“And who knows? I could be dead tomorrow!”  
> ** _
> 
> _You couldn’t have known Mark’s intent, and wouldn’t been able to stop him anyways._
> 
> _But you still wish you could’ve saved your friends. Saved Damien._

* * *

> — _[ 19XX ]_ — 
> 
> You stared at your shaking hands, cold numbness washing over your entire body. 
> 
> _They’re dead. William’s gone mad. Why would Mark do this? Did he not care for us?_
> 
> Pure agony gripped your heart and a sob ripped from your throat. It had been several hours since William had left―had it been hours? Perhaps it had been a day, perhaps merely minutes. Your perception of time escaped you as your mind filled with misery-ridden smog.
> 
> You don’t know how long you sat against the wall, arms wrapped around your legs, head rested atop your knees. Day turned to evening, then evening into night as you wept. You suppose you dozed off several times, since you hadn’t noticed the passage of time.
> 
> You only broke out of your daze when a voice interrupted your quiet cries and shaky breathing.
> 
> “― _Y/N?”_ You didn’t register the voice at first; in fact, you barely heard it at all. Not until it spoke again, its tone louder―sharper. “ _Can you hear me, Y/N?_ Y/N, I need you to pay attention.”
> 
> You lifted your head, and fresh tears began spilling down your cheeks.
> 
> _**Damien**_. 
> 
> He didn’t look like _your_ Damien―he was disheveled, and you swore you could see red and blue splitting away from him. _But he was Damien._
> 
> _...wasn’t he?_
> 
> “...Damien?” Your voice was hoarse from the absurd amount of crying you did. “No, no. You _died._ You _can’t_ be here. I’m going mad, aren’t I?” Panic rose up your throat like bile. He crouched in front of you, gently cupping your cheek.
> 
> “I am here, dearest one,” Damien said softly, pushing a stray hair behind your ear, “we have much to discuss, but first, I implore you rest.”
> 
> You stared at him with tear-filled eyes, raising your hand to touch his face, as if to check if he was real. “ _Please don’t leave me,”_ your voice was but a whisper as you begged him, “ _I can’t lose you—not again.”_
> 
> Damien provided you a sad smile, brushing his thumb across your cheekbone. “Rest, love. When you wake, I will be beside you.”
> 
> As he spoke, your limbs began to feel as if static was gently moving across them and you found it difficult to keep your eyes open. He pressed a kiss atop your head with a hum as you drifted into unconsciousness.

— — —

As you walked to the nearby cafe, you got lost in thought. You weren’t ready to talk to Dark, and you knew it. So many questions ran through your mind, yet you were unsure how to word any of them.

Before you knew it, you’d reached the front door of the cafe. A sigh escaped you as you entered the cafe. _Here goes nothing._

_~~Do not let **him** find out. **He** may not be so forgiving this time.~~ _

Dark was occupying a table in the far corner, sipping on a coffee. He noticed your arrival and regarded you with a raised eyebrow. “You came. I was beginning to wonder if you’d show up,” he said smoothly once you sat in front of him.

_~~You needed to know the truth. Of course you’d show up.~~ _

“Yeah, I came,” you rapped your fingers against the table. “I hope you know that you’ve got a lot of explaining to do,” you said, your head cocked to the side, “so I’d get to it if I were you.”

Dark let out a chuckle of sorts, the sound rumbling from his chest. “Still as straightforward as ever, I see. Very well, I suppose I _do_ owe you some explanation.” He leaned forward, interlocking his fingers. “Though I must warn you—there is much more to this story than you remember.”

You opened your mouth to question his statement, but the look he shot you immediately shut you up. 

“You may not believe me once I am done explaining. That is not of my concern. But know this—everything I say is true. There are no falsehoods embedded in my words.

“You knew Mark and myself long before our recent encounters—long before I became... _this..._ and before **he** became the monster **he** is now. I’m unsure as to _how_ , but **he** managed to warp time and reality to **his** desires. Thus is why you do not remember me.

“Many years ago, **he** invited our friends—myself included—to an evening of poker. I brought you along for a night of fun, unaware of our fates. Perhaps I could have spared you if I knew what was to come.

“But I digress. **He** owned a manor at the time—Markiplier Manor—which held a sinister being within its walls. **He** made a...deal, per say, with the being. It is what led to the demise of myself and our friends.

“ **He** spared you, then left you in your anguish. When **he** learned that I had found you, **he** rewrote the story—which led us up to this point.” Dark tilted his head slightly before finishing. “ **He** painted me as the villain while **he** could play the hero.”

You simply looked at Dark, shocked as you absorbed the information. Before you could respond, a familiar voice split the silence. 

“ ** _Y/N. I believe you made a promise.”_**

_Well **shit.**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is so fuckin dialogue heavy i am so sorry yall


	4. confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you piss mark off, mark pisses dark off, shit goes downhill fast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the DA & you, the reader, are two separate characters—you were a +1 to actor’s party, and actor chose to spare you. i’ve dubbed the DA “dayn” so they actually have a name, rather than just. being the DA

> _You simply looked at Dark, shocked as you absorbed the information. Before you could respond, a familiar voice split the silence._
> 
> **_“Y/N. I believe you made a promise.”_ **

_Well_ **_shit._ **

— — —

You were sure your panic was visible in your eyes as you stared at Mark. His face conveyed concern, but the air around him told a _very_ different story. Dark immediately stood, his posture defensive. 

“Ah, sorry. Am I interrupting something important?” Mark tilted his head in feigned-innocence before directing his gaze to you. “Y/N, I thought I’d made myself pretty clear—I’m sure you aren’t here on your own accord, though, right? After all, you _did_ promise,” he said, false kindness in his words, “c’mon, let’s go somewhere else.” 

The world around you seemed to warp—suddenly, the three of you were located in a secluded portion of a park. You were sat on a bench while the two men stood.

Unnerved by the change in scenery, you opened your mouth to say something, but Dark spoke before you could. “Your presence is unwelcome, Mark,” he snapped, “you should have left Y/N out of your games.”

“Come now, Damien. I’m just keeping them safe from _you_. I’m not hurting them in the slightest—I am the _hero_ , after all.” The YouTuber laughed. He sounded manic—unhinged, almost.

You felt anger prickle at your skin as Mark talked, but didn’t have a chance to say anything before Dark snarled a retort out.

“I am **_not_** Damien. You should know that best of all—and we _both_ know your intention is not to keep them safe. _You_ are the one that they need to be protected from.” Dark’s shell cracked as a ghost of him splintered off, screaming in what could’ve been misery. _~~Or rage.~~_

Mark seemed to find joy in Dark’s anger. “No, I suppose you’re not. _Damien_ wasn’t a villain. You, however, _are_.” He had an unnerving grin on his face. “Why would I need to be kept away from our dearest Y/N? We were such _close friends._ I would _never_ hurt them.”

Frustrated by them talking as if you weren’t there, you stood abruptly, the irritation drowning out your fear for the moment. “Will one of you tell me what the _fuck_ is going on?” You didn’t get a response, as your outburst seemed to have startled Mark—which gave Dark a window of opportunity.

The entity had Mark by the neck in a heartbeat, a high-pitched ringing drowning out any other noise. _“You have the **audacity** to drag Y/N into your twisted **fantasy** and call **me** the **villain** after **everything** you did?” _

You had a hard time looking at Dark; his shell was splitting and cracking frantically as he gripped Mark’s throat. 

_~~This isn’t right.~~ _

_“You killed **him** , Celine, Dayn; you left Y/N to **suffer** alone in their sorrow—you drove William to **madness!** Yet **you** are the hero, and **I** am the villain?”_ Dark’s voice was distorted as he spoke. Mark had a smug grin on his face.

He responded with a raspy wheeze.

~~_**He’s** taunting him._ ~~

**_“But is this not what villains do?”_ **

_~~**He** wants this.~~ _

_“Damien, please!”_ You didn’t even know the words you were saying—you just wanted him— _needed_ him—to stop. _“He’s doing this on purpose!”_

Dark’s hold on Mark slackened, taken aback when you said his former name with such anguish in your voice.

Mark took advantage of Dark’s loss of focus, freeing himself from the entity’s grasp. Unwilling to find himself in that position again, the former actor seemed to have fled.

Suddenly, your head erupted in white-hot agony as past memories invaded your thoughts. You barely heard Dark as he repeated your name, but you couldn't conjure the strength to respond.

The pain grew unbearable, and you lost consciousness.

— — —

_You were panicking. Fragmented images of a forgotten time clawed at your mind._

_You didn’t know what was happening._

_**You were afraid.** _

_— — —_

**[ TAKE YOUR PICK ]**

_[ TRUE NATURE ]_

_the past is remembered ➜ continue to chapter five_

_[ ERASURE ]_

_the timeline resets ➜ move to chapter six_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> angst/fluff—shit’s fucked per usual—vague descriptions of violence, actor is being a giant manipulative dickwad


	5. true nature

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you remember who the actor was, who you were, and most importantly, who dark was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this is the "true" version where you get a nice happy ending with dark !! it has fluff. its very nice

You were panicking. Fragmented images of a forgotten time clawed at your mind.

You didn’t know what was happening.

You were **afraid**.

— — —

> _You followed your friend and recently-appointed District Attorney, Dayn, into the parlour. You couldn’t contain the yelp of horror at the sight the two of you walked in on._
> 
> _“Mark?” You covered your mouth as a wave of nausea rolled over you.  
>  _
> 
> _Your friend laid dead on the floor._
> 
> _In an attempt to comfort you, Dayn quickly turned you away as the other guests from the party entered the room with varying exclaims of shock._
> 
> — — —
> 
> _Damien held you in a tight hug on the patio as you wept into his shoulder. “How did this happen?” Your voice trembled as you spoke._
> 
> _“I don’t know, dove. We’ll figure it out, I promise.” Damien murmured into your hair, trying to soothe you as best he could._
> 
> — — —
> 
> _You watched, terrified, as William frantically tore around the house for Damien and Celine after he shot the detective and Dayn. Eventually you hid in one of the many rooms within the manor, hoping that William would leave soon, and save you from hearing his heartbroken pleas._
> 
> — — —
> 
> _“I am here, dearest one,” Damien said softly, pushing a stray lock of hair behind your ear, “we have much to discuss, but first, I implore you rest.”_
> 
> _You stared at him with tear-filled eyes, raising your hand to touch his face, as if to check if he was real. “Please don’t leave me,” your voice was but a whisper as you begged him, “I can’t lose you—not again.”_
> 
> _Damien provided you a sad smile, brushing his thumb across your cheekbone. “Rest, love. When you wake, I will be beside you.”_

— — —

You regained consciousness and bolted upright with a sharp gasp. Tears began to flow freely down your cheeks as the memories you’d forgotten resurfaced in your mind. You failed to notice Dark approaching the bed as you tried to withhold your cries, despair gripping your entire being.

“Y/N, darling, you must calm down.” His words were uttered softly and with the utmost concern as he sat beside you, but the suddenness still startled you.

“ _Dam_ —” You caught yourself before you could say your past lover’s name. “Dark? I don’t—I’m so sorry—” You looked at him with tear-filled eyes. _“I’m so sorry I forgot you—”_

“Nonsense.” Dark cut you off with a raise of his hand and a stern gaze. “Mark pulled the strings. It is no fault of your own.” He frowned as he cupped your cheek, sweeping his thumb over it soothingly. “Do not fret, dearest. I assure you, _he_ will no longer pose a threat. I made sure of that.”

You wish you could say that his words alarmed you, but all you felt was overwhelming relief. _“Do you forgive me?”_

“I cannot forgive you for something I never blamed you for in the first place, love.” Dark gently wiped away the tears still falling from your eyes as he spoke, a sad expression twisting his handsome features. “ _I_ am sorry that I could not protect you from _him.”_

You shook your head fervently. “It isn’t your fault,” you murmured, “you couldn’t have known.” You gave him a gentle, albeit sad, smile. “It doesn’t matter now, though. We’re okay—we’re together.”

Dark pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead. “Yes, we are—and from this moment forth, that shall never change.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the next chapter is the "bad end" where there's no fluff and everyone loses. except for actor. because he's a douche


	6. erasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which you forget who dark really is, and believe actor to be who he is not.  
> alternatively: actor was a dick and fucked with your memories. good times man

You were panicking. Fragmented images of a forgotten time clawed at your mind.

You didn’t know what was happening.

You were **afraid**.

— — —

> _Each memory that tore through your subconscious faded when you reached out to it, desperate to understand._
> 
> _— — —_
> 
> _**A vague image of you and a faceless man dancing in a ballroom.** _
> 
> _**— — —** _
> 
> _**A worried, unrecognisable voice crying out to you in panic, but you couldn’t make the words out.** _
> 
> _**— — —** _
> 
> _**A fleeting scene of an election for the position of mayor and district attorney.** _
> 
> _— — —_
> 
> _The memories slipped from your grasp faster than you could comprehend, and soon, you couldn’t remember **why** you wanted to see them._

_— — —_

Slowly, you woke up to the feeling of someone wrapping you in a blanket and pressing a kiss to your forehead. You made a sound of discontentment from being awoken.

“Y/N? You awake?” Mark’s voice roused you enough to open your eyes and look at him.

“Thanks to you,” you grumbled, “my head feels like someone tried to kill me.” You tried to piece together what happened before you passed out—Dark had talked you into visiting him at a cafe, but you couldn’t remember past that. “I—I don’t remember what happened—Mark—?” Panic began to creep into your tone.

“Hey, hey, calm down, you’re alright.” Mark pulled you into a hug, humming quietly. “Dark manipulated you into meeting him at a nearby cafe and attacked you. I got there just in time.” He sighed, shaking his head. “I underestimated how convincing he could be, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, I should’ve listened to you,” You murmured, disappointed in yourself, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’ve taken care of him, so he shouldn’t be a problem anymore.” The YouTuber’s smile was slightly unnerving and caused an uncomfortable feeling to settle in your stomach. 

_~~You felt as if you were forgetting something very important.~~ _

“That’s—that’s good.” You whispered, forcing a small smile onto your face. You didn’t understand why it made you so sad to hear him say those words—Dark tried to hurt you, right?

_~~Right?~~ _

“You’ll be fine in a few days—you might feel a little confused but that’s normal for a concussion.” Mark smiled at you, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of your head. 

_~~Why does it feel like you’re forgetting something extremely important? This doesn’t feel like normal confusion.~~ _

“Alright. Thanks, Mark. I appreciate it.” You closed your eyes, drifting back to sleep.

When you reawoke, you wouldn’t remember the sadness you felt when Mark said he dealt with Dark. 

Everything was fine now.

_~~Right?~~ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wowza you got the BAD END! i hope you're happy !


End file.
